I Was a Man (1967)

Female actor Ansa Kansas plays a man trying to obtain a sex-change operation in Finland. In the 1960s, blue films were shown across selected arthouse cinemas. Even if they seem tame by today’s standards, most of the posters for X-rated films wouldn’t have been displayed in subways or streets. More carefully chosen locations would have been used. ‘So very few were printed and most would have been destroyed,’ says Nourmand.
HisX-Rated: Adult Movie Posters of the 60s and 70s is published by Reel Art Press in September.

Smoke and Flesh (1968)

Nourmand calls the posters ‘an explosion of graphic design ideas’. He adds: ‘Most of these movies weren’t explicit anyway. Some of them pretended to be X-rated stories, because it sold tickets. That’s what I love about the posters: they basically lie, cheat, whatever – to get you inside the movie theatre. Which is fun.’

Come One, Come All! (1970)

Colour began being used in the 1940s after the war, despite the films still being in black and white, as it attracted people into cinemas. By the early 1970s, the sexual revolution and summer of love were well under way and poster designers became increasingly creative. ‘The sad thing is that few of the designers are ever credited,’ says Nourmand, who picks Come One, Come All as his favourite. ‘I have one hanging up in my living room. But I love all of them.’

I Want You! (1970)

A housewife with a not so happy sex life goes to a psychiatrist and explains in detail about her fantasies. ‘Some of these posters seem politically incorrect with hindsight,’ says Nourmand. ‘But they’re fun. They never meant to put anyone down.’

Deep Throat (1972)

The two big X-Rated titles are Debbie Does Dallas and Deep Throat, with the posters of both fetching around £1,500-£2,000. Starring Linda Boreman, alias Linda Lovelace, as a woman who could only achieve orgasm via fellatio, the film was summed up by the critic Roger Ebert: ‘It is all very well and good for Linda Lovelace, the star of the movie, to advocate sexual freedom; but the energy she brings to her role is less awesome than discouraging. If you have to work this hard at sexual freedom, maybe it isn’t worth the effort.’

Flesh Gordon (1974)

The 1960s saw the beginning of the parodies, with titles often coming out very soon after their clean cut inspiration. A parody of Flash Gordon, this film sees the hero come to the rescue when an evil alien hits Earth with a ‘sex ray’. Other parody titles include The Erotic Adventures of Zorro, Kiss Me Mate, The Three Sexateers and Guess Who’s Coming (after Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner).

Sex Odyssey (1976)

A parody inspired by 2001: A Space Odyssey, this was, by today’s standards, barely pornographic. While a firm fan of the poster designs, Nourmand does not enjoy the films themselves – but recommends watching the trailers. ‘I’m not a big fan. The films are mostly ridiculous. But the trailers are hysterical. Go watch
The Swap And How They Make It. I was in hysterics.’

Debbie Does Dallas (1978)

One of the most famous adult films of all time. But with the late 1970s came the invention of the VHS, which also brought about the end of the X-rated film poster. ‘People started watching porn at home, and the films started becoming explicit, which killed the posters,’ says Nourmand. ‘But what I love about them is their spirit. They are the most graphically interesting posters of that period. Look at the number of fonts used, number of techniques used. They’re beautiful.’